The sport of TREC originated in France as a sport designed to test the skills of trekking guides working in the equestrian tourism industry.
These skills include the ability to navigate a mapped route, manage pace, and safely maneuver obstacles that one might encounter on an extended trail ride or drive.
The Name TREC
The name TREC is the acronym for the french name: Techniques de Rondonee Equestre de Competition. In english this loosely translates to Equestrian Trail Riding Competition.
In the US the sport is simply known as TREC.
Other commonly used acronyms derived from french names follow:
Orienteering = POR from Parcours d’Orientation et de Régularité.
Control of Paces = COP or MA from Maîtrise des Allures.
Trail Obstacle Course = PTV from Parcours en Terrain Varie.
The French name for Driven TREC is Le TREC en Attelage.
TREC Today:
TREC is widely popular in many European countries, and is gaining popularity in other regions and countries outside of Europe including Scandinavia, China, Eastern Europe, North America, and Morocco.